Gribz 743 Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) Levein was untried and untested at International level as a manager but he got his chance. He was also in the same boat as a player once upon a time. I dont buy the untried and untested bit, especially when a player is in form and full of confidence. Plus in this day in age club football can be of higher standard than SOME internationals. Ive always been a fan of Miller but he's 32 now and cant run all day on his own....i hope he starts both Miller and Rhodes on Tuesday. Edited September 11, 2012 by Gribz 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 There is a first for everything....Andy Walker talking sense. I'm absolutely convinced that Scotland can beat Macedonia on Tuesday night at Hampden Park to get their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track. Not only are three points critical but the level of performance will also be all-important for Craig Levein. Following Saturday's unsatisfying 0-0 draw with Serbia, the mood of the Tartan Army has changed and Craig has to realise that and do something about it. There is nothing wrong with his favoured 4-1-4-1 system with so many creative and imaginative players in the side, but at home against a Macedonia side ranked 97th in the world, surely he can show his flexibility and be a bit more adventurous? Our strength is the numerous goal-scoring options we have from middle to front and Craig has to find the right blend at Hampden in front of a desperate home support. A big problem against the Serbs was that too many of our players were off form; I thought our crossing, in particular, was abysmal, both from open play and set-pieces. I'm sure one of the reasons Stoke manager Tony Pulis bought Charlie Adam from Liverpool for £4million was the idea of him firing in all sorts of crosses to his strikers - but I cant hardly recall a decent delivery from him on Saturday, especially from dead balls. Kenny Miller gave everything as usual but he'd be the first to admit he didn't play well and that we didn't get enough support to him in his role as the lone striker. But the only way to end the current uncertainty and negativity regarding our qualifying campaign is to win tomorrow night - and win well. When you express great satisfaction in securing two home games to start the qualification process, it doesn't take a genius to work out you're looking for maximum points before tackling successive away games next month against Wales and group favourites Belgium. One big problem for Craig in his time as Scotland manager is his lack of notable victories; I can't recall one famous or celebrated win when we showed just how good we can be against top quality opposition. Sure, we have beaten the Czech Republic and Denmark in friendlies but the trick is to get wins like that when it really matters. Walter Smith and Alex McLeish both masterminded exceptional wins home and away against France and that's the kind of result Craig will have to come up with to get everyone believing in him. I reckon the highlight of his time so far in terms of our performance was our second-half display against Spain in the Euro 2012 qualifiers; Hampden was truly rocking, we pushed men forward, scored two goals and gave the European and World champions a real fright. Part of the reason for the huge disappointment in Saturday's result is the desperation of the Tartan Army to be part of a major finals again. The idea of travelling to Brazil in two years' time to join such a magnificent spectacle is mouth-watering for them. And the truth is that this group is a gift for us. At last we don't have an outstanding international side that will clearly top the group; there's no Holland, France, Italy or Spain, nations we have encountered in recent qualifying campaigns. Everyone will drop points in this group and I doubt there will be a runaway winner, but we have already dropped two at home and are on the back foot. Craig Levein continually talks of progress; I'll believe him when I see us get a notable victory. After Saturday, we're going to need one or two special results in this group if the Tartan Army are to make travelling plans for Brazil. If we dont win tonight then he has to go. We've wasted time already in the last year with him being in charge. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggy dewhurst 0 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 levien must stay hes doing a great job for his sfa masters i hope scotland never win another game in my lifetime ......... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexscottislegend 2,086 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 levien must stay hes doing a great job for his sfa masters i hope scotland never win another game in my lifetime ......... So you'd be happy for us to be wound up and integrated with a GB side? Leve club loyalties out of this - the Scotland team is not the SFA and Ally agrees with me. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy steel 0 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Seems it is broadly accepted that Levein is out of his depth at this level, but it needs to be kept in mind that he was appointed with a strict and limited salary budget in mind. Well, the SFA need every penny for hammering Rangers. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
metlika 0 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 His line up for tonight suggests he doesn't learn anything. Miller again, Snodgrass dropped to bench, ffs. Although SFA are worse and won't do anything and back him till we can't qualify and them probably give him a new contract. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Final straw. He's lost it! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 So you'd be happy for us to be wound up and integrated with a GB side? Leve club loyalties out of this - the Scotland team is not the SFA and Ally agrees with me. That's a load of Bull the Scotland team is the SFA and if you want to buy into the media crap and Ally trying to Mr Nice again then shame on you. Bring on Team GB I'd rather watch decent footballers from Britain than that pish last night. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 That's a load of Bull the Scotland team is the SFA and if you want to buy into the media crap and Ally trying to Mr Nice again then shame on you. Bring on Team GB I'd rather watch decent footballers from Britain than that pish last night. Its not media crap. Allan McGregor Allan Hutton Steven Naismith Charlie Adam Kenny Miller are not the SFA. The SFA may run the game in Scotland but the boys pulling on the dark blue shirts are representing the nation. That said the behaviour of "hibs" fans towards Black and all the other bullshit allied to the fact that we have no chance of qualifying has meant that i've found it hard to care about the team. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggy dewhurst 0 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 So you'd be happy for us to be wound up and integrated with a GB side? Leve club loyalties out of this - the Scotland team is not the SFA and Ally agrees with me. ally does not talk for me 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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